The Bridging Communities Governor’s STEM Academy at the Bridging Communities Regional Career and Technical Center

Project Title: The Bridging Communities Governor’s STEM Academy

Program Lead: Bridging Communities Regional Career and Technical Education Center

Program Focus: Bridging Communities Governor’s STEM Academy will emphasize two career clusters that will provide students clear pathways among high school and higher education and high-demand jobs. Students enrolled in the proposed Academy will receive academic and technical training in career preparation for Health Sciences and Engineering and Technology.

Partners: New Kent County Public Schools; Charles City County Public Schools; King and Queen County Public Schools; King William County Public Schools; Middlesex County Public Schools

Board Of Education Approved Governor’s Academy Application

Executive Summary

Partnership Members: Bridging Communities Board of Control, New Kent County Public Schools; Charles City County Public Schools; King and Queen County Public Schools; King William County Public Schools; Middlesex County Public Schools; Rappahannock Community College, Town of West Point Town Council, Dominion Resources Service; J. Sanders Construction Company

Lead Entity: Bridging Communities Regional Career and Technical Education Center

Fiscal Agent: New Kent County Public Schools

Contact Person:
Dr. Larkin Phillips, Director
Bridging Communities Governor’s STEM Academy
Phone: 804-966-9650 or 804-496-6857
E-mail: lphillips@nkcps.k12.va.us

Academy Location:
Bridging Communities Regional Career and Technical Education Center
11835 New Kent Highway
P. O. Box 232
New Kent, Virginia 23124

Number of Students Served: The Bridging Communities Governor’s STEM Academy will have the capacity to enroll 95 students, grades 11-12. During the initial school year (2012-2013) applications will be accepted for 54 students.

Career Pathways: Engineering and Technology, Health Science

Academy Goals and Description: The overall goals of the Governor’s STEM Academy are to provide students with the 21st-century, STEM-enriched technological skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in postsecondary education and in the world of work through authentic, rigorous, project-based work while building partnerships with parents, community and business leaders to meet these goals.

Specific Governor’s STEM Academy objectives include:

Improve academic achievement of Academy students by increasing academic rigor and relevance within selected pathways.
Increase completion of dual enrollment courses.
Provide workplace readiness experiences through strong partnerships with businesses.
Increase high school graduation rates.
Reduce dropout rates.
Increase enrollment and retention in postsecondary education.
Increase the number of students completing a college and workplace ready curriculum in high school.
Reduce the number of students requiring remediation in college.
Increase the number of industry certifications awarded to high school students.
Increase the number of graduates employed in high-wage, high-skilled careers.

Highlights of the Academy: As a result of participating in the Governor’s STEM Academy the students will:

Gain a deeper understanding of the skills and knowledge incorporated in their fields of study;
Benefit from specialized, project-based courses which develop critical-thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, preparing them for the 21st-century world;
Acquire greater communication skills;
Develop workplace readiness skills;
Receive opportunities to earn industry certifications preparing them to be more competitive in the work force and when applying to advanced training schools or postsecondary institutions;
Obtain meaningful, real-life, hands-on experiences in their career pathway; and profit from opportunities for internships, mentorships, job shadowing, and cooperative education, which provide students with advantages when entering postsecondary education and/or the workplace.

Top of Page